Boys basketball preview | Parker and friends have sights set high for Simeon

November 19, 2011|By Mike Helfgot | Special to the Tribune

The 6-foot-7 junior quietly led the state's Class 4A champion in rebounding and 3-point shooting, was second in scoring and the cause of Catch-22-induced headaches with his post and perimeter skills.

Steve Taylor then had his way with national competition during the summer, became the consensus No. 1 player in Illinois' Class of 2012 and accepted a scholarship to Marquette.

Still, the most promising senior in the state is nowhere near the biggest name on his own team.

It's the Year of the Junior in the Chicago area, and it starts with No. 1 Simeon.

Ask the average high school basketball fan why Simeon is ranked No. 1 nationally by ESPN and No. 4 by USA Today, and Taylor's name will come up at some point after Jabari Parker, Jabari Parker and Jabari Parker.

Juniors Kendrick Nunn, Jaylon Tate and Kendall Pollard are high-major recruits, but, like Taylor, as long as they're wearing a Simeon uniform, their talents will be somewhat muted by Parker's shadow.

Considered the best player regardless of class in the country by several national analysts, the 6-8 Parker is a wise-beyond-his-years junior who is respected by peers and adults alike for the way he carries himself as a player and a person.

Harmony is easy before the first opening tip, but with a leader like Parker and an engineer like Robert Smith, jealousy and in-fighting are not likely to derail the Simeon train.

"The thing with these kids, they want to win, they want to be successful, they want to go down in history," said Smith, who is 196-36 with four state championships in seven seasons since taking over for longtime coach Robert Hambric.

"They know Jabari is the best player in the country and they don't have a problem with that. Steve is Steve. He has his own identity. These kids, they know who they are and they know who Jabari is. It's been great to coach these kids and understand that they are mature and they know certain things."

Graspers of straws might point to the graduation of dirty-work center Rashawn McElrath, the knee injury point guard Jelani Neely suffered during the summer or the addition of Tate, Pollard and freshman D.J. Williams to the rotation as potential stumbling blocks, but the embarrassment of riches is undeniable.

They're not shy about proclaiming their desire to go undefeated, but they're not guaranteeing it. The team seems to understand the rigors of a schedule that includes the teams ranked No. 2 and No. 3 by USA Today, in addition to Warren, Young, Morgan Park and Bogan.

"Hopefully we can bond with each other before the first game," Parker said. "Usually when a group of guys join forces, it takes a long time to build chemistry. Hopefully with us it just takes a couple games to get synched in."

Taylor nearly missed the ride.

His family wanted him transfer to Mount Carmel during his sophomore year, and he spent a few days there before getting his way and going back to Simeon.

"I'm glad I stayed," Taylor said. "It was the best choice ever. Me and Jabari on the same team, it's unbelievable. I love him like he's my brother. I didn't imagine all this when I first got here. Now we are that team."

Big names: On this level, they don't come any bigger than Parker, who killed it on the AAU circuit after winning his second IHSA title in two years and is frequently referred to as the best player in the country. Might Mike Krzyzewski have something to do with Simeon playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Dec. 17?

Big question: Was Rashawn McElrath more valuable than people realize? Parker and Taylor are good rebounders, but McElrath was a scrapper in the paint who provided a lot of toughness. There's not as much frontcourt depth as in recent years, so it's on Parker and Taylor to bang as well as score.

Breakdown: An undefeated season would seem like a tall order even without the national portion of the schedule. Young is enormously talented, Warren has virtually everybody back, the Red South may be the state's toughest conference and the city playoffs are a bear. Winning the last game is more likely than each of the first 30 or so.

He said it: "It is a lot of pressure. There's an X on our back and we're going to get everybody's best shot, but we're ready for it." -- senior point guard Jelani Neely